In Malaysia, Nurul Izzah’s PKR exit deepens questions over Anwar’s leadership

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim faces growing concerns over his leadership after his daughter, Nurul Izzah Anwar, resigned from the deputy presidency of his ruling People’s Justice Party (PKR). The move, framed as a temporary break rather than a resignation, highlights fresh internal tensions within the party. This follows disappointing losses for Anwar's Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition in recent state elections, where they clashed with the federal partner, Barisan Nasional (BN).

The recurring exits or marginalisation of senior figures, including Nurul Izzah and others like Azmin Ali and Rafizi Ramli, suggest the party struggles to balance strong personalities, says Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani, vice-president of political consultancy The Asia Group. Asrul warns that unresolved leadership issues could potentially destabilise both PKR and the coalition, PH.

PKR's leader, Nurul Izzah, stated her decision after careful consideration, intending to focus on further studies and a non-political path. She remains a member of PKR and supports its efforts to build a better Malaysia. Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, who will assume Nurul Izzah's role as deputy president, expressed confidence in the new deputy and election director, Amirudin Shari.

Despite the party's approval of 3,533 new members since July, Nurul Izzah's decision might stem from dissatisfaction among party members, as noted by Azmi Hassan, a senior fellow at the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research. The split within PKR could be seen in disciplinary actions taken against members who attended a recent event supporting rival Bersatu.